


Into the light

by Astelina



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Everyone Needs A Hug, Good Post Game AU, Handling a life after participating in the Dangan Ronpa Team entertainment show, Hurt/Comfort, I refute the games ending!, M/M, Mayor cast appearance, Mentions of Death, New Dangan Ronpa V3 Spoilers, PTSD, SPOILER WARNING FOR DANGAN RONPA V3, spoiler - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-04 22:10:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12780615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astelina/pseuds/Astelina
Summary: ***SPOILER WARNING FOR DANGAN RONPA V3***Shuichi Saihara wakes up after the games and finds himself comforted by Kokichi Oma.





	1. The space within a box

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place after the game, so please finish V3 before reading this fic!
> 
> Chapter titel inspired by the song Rymden i en Låda by the artists Detektivbyrån. If you want something to listen to while reading this, i recommend this song. <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story takes place after the game, so please finish V3 before reading this fic!
> 
> Chapter titel inspired by the song Rymden i en Låda by the artists Detektivbyrån. If you want something to listen to while reading this, i recommend this song. <3

It was bright.

He wasn’t sure how or why he had gotten into this empty white space. While the sharp light around him didn’t hurt his eyes as it probably should, he was pulsating with a raw pain that was rocking through his whole body. For some reason it was impossible to fathom from where this pain was coming from as if it came from all sides at once.

Despite the pain, he felt both weightless and senseless. It was as if he was floating in this empty white space, disconnected from his own being and the whole world around him.

Was this the end…? Was this okay to give up after all he had been through? They had reached their goal, but what happened after was a blurry mess… Truths become lies, and lies turned out to be the uncovered truths. But both had little meaning for him now, after these twisted turns of events.

Maybe it was okay to let it stop now, after all he had been through. He hurt physically, and he felt increasingly exhausted. To the point where he closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable death, or where beings like him would end up crossing to after ceasing to exist.

He failed to notice the small traces of sound entering his small space, or how shadows morphed behind his eyelids to tell blurry outlines of _something_ beyond this empty space. Before he knew it, his whole sense of being was getting more twisted as a sudden experience of vertigo hit him and shook him to his core.

Along with the sudden disorientation, a feeling as if being ice cold and submerged into boiling water washed over him. This feeling got increasingly overwhelming, mixed with the previous dull pain as his nerves screamed at the contact of the world around him.

It hurt. It hurt incredibly much as the pain washed over him in waves, gradually calming down as he got more accustomed to this feeling. For every wave the pain dulled a bit, and he was able to feel new sensations hit him slowly but surely.

His skin was feeling the contact of the crisp air around him and his back had a steady support from some sort of bed under him. So he was no longer floating in space, as he had previously believed, but lying _somewhere_.

He groaned as soon as his muscles allowed him to move, but it was more about him pressing out air while he was tense from this whole experience. If he could, he would have screamed sooner at the intense and raw pain. But something kept his muscles relaxed as he barely knew how to move his body anymore.

Just moving his fingers was a huge achievement for him in this state.

It felt like he could, at most, twitch his fingers before his nerves and muscles screamed in pain and forced him to lie still. He still continuously made new attempts, to see if there was anything he could move. After a few attempts he noticed that he could probably try to part his closed eyes, somewhat surprised to notice that he have had his eyes closed all this time. This despite the piercing white light around him...

He slowly opened his eyes and he noticed that the white space he had previously been in had now changed. It was still very bright but all hazy since he didn’t even know how to focus his eyes at first. But soon he managed to see that there was indeed a shadow right above him, and he struggled to adjust his eyes to the closest object.

Although blurry, he saw a face right above his. Bright, purple eyes on a pale and expressionless face, framed with black hair and… Purple streaks? He wore a checkered scarf that added even more to the contrast... And Shuichi believed that he must have gone delirious at last.

Only one person would wear such a scarf, and Koikichi Oma was _dead_. There was no denying that fact, since he so clearly remembers the trial that had saved him a couple of days ago. He had, after all, helped solve the almost impossible murder of yet another classmate in that horrendous school.

That was back when he still believed he was _a person_ with _a reason to fight on to live_. But the sight of the face above him made him happy enough to smile despite the pain that kept cutting into his skin. He heard a soft laughter before he realized that it was himself making that sound. He was laughing timidly at the realization of who was watching over his final moments.

This must be the form death had taken to guide him to the other side, and it was both cruel, yet considerate of him to take the form of the one that helped the small group of survivors save themselves from the eternal killing game. Or at least help them stop the eternal cycle of death that the game was about.

“Oh-- Hey!! Hey hey! Shuichi is finally awake!”

The form above him talked over his head, most likely to someone that accompanied him here. Shuichi tried to sit up to see who this avatar of death could be talking to, as his curiosity took the better hold of him.

But the moment he tries to flex the smallest muscle, he feels the raw pain introduce itself in a whole different level of hurt. He gasped out and before he knows it he feels a warm hand sternly press him down against the bed under him so he would lie still.

The shadow above him had been the one to reach out and he looked… concerned? It was uncharacteristic of Oma, and it squeezed his heart knowing he never got to see him for what he was. Last time they had talked he was convinced he was one of despair, and he never had a chance to properly talk to him after he… murdered himself.

“You are so terribly cruel, death…” Shuichi closed his eyes, just catching a glimpse of Omas expression before he felt his mind cloud over for what he assumed was the last time, but at least he could rest now with a soft smile on his lips.

* * *

 ***

 

“He certainly takes his time to recover...” Kaito groans as he looks through the window into the specialized hospital room. Inside he could see the form of his friend sleeping peacefully, with several machines surrounding him and monitoring his health.

“Hey now… He was the weakest attendant. I’m surprised he even made it through, after all that.” Maki sighs as she speaks softly, showing a rare but unsurprisingly soft side to her fellow survivor of the killing game.

“Yeah… But I know he will be fine! Shuichi is more dependable than you think. Right?” Kaede, the first contender to strike out as a blackened in the game smiles, despite her guilt being written all over her expression.

“Of course, that’s why he was my sidekick!” Kaito chuckles, and he smiles as he takes a step away from the window. “It has been a week since the last ones got out. I heard they ran into some trouble since so many at once had to get transferred at once...  And, apparently they had to wait with Shuichi because of his… state.“ Kaito responded again, his expression more serious as he looked at the student inside the hospital room.

“He’s an idiot… If I knew he was this weak I would let him get out before me, the doctors be damned.” Maki sighs in frustration, only able to relax as Kaito gently pats her shoulder and Kaede comforting her with a gentle smile before speaking.

“... He was always very thoughtful of others. All the way through. And now we’ll just have to return the favor when he finally wakes up!” Kaede smiles and takes a step back with a sigh, doing her best to soothe her nerves and smile for the group still present this late in the evening. She didn’t want to show herself down around them, since she wanted them all to keep their hopes up!

“Well… Visitors time is over soon, so we ought to head out. … Hey... Oma, will you come with us?” She continued talking and turned around to look at the only student that had distanced himself from the late crowd. He was uncharacteristically quiet as he sipped on his panta and looked at his phone, only looking up after Kaede was talking to him.

And before they knew it, a wide grin grew over his face as he put his phone back in his pocket.

“Whoah! You want me to come with you Kaede? I thought you hated my guts to the core!” While his voice is excited, there is an undertone of toxicity that makes her flinch slightly and grow uncertain of what to say to that. Her guilt cast long shadows over her face as she tried to come up with something nice to respond to him, but her mind draws a complete blank.

“If you want to stay, we won’t stop you.” This time it was Maki who interrupted the conversation, saving Kaede from being completely speechless. “But if you run into trouble for staying late, we won’t help you.”

“Ahaha, no worries. I won’t do anything as lame as getting _caught_ by some hospital personnel. Someone has to keep an eye on the star detective during the night.” He smiles, his voice lowering slightly as he looks at them with a sneaky look and finger against his lips.

“Aha! That is true! Well, Rantaro and Kirumi will be here early tomorrow and help you out, so, stay strong until then!” Kaito gave Ouma a thumbs up, eagerly trusting the boy and throwing both the girls off guard. But before Maki can object, Kaede smiles and nods. She fixes her backpack, ready to head out.

“Well then Koichi! give us a call if something happens then. So… Let’s go home before the others worry about us!”

* * *

 ***

 

He felt his consciousness float back to him again, barely filling his mind. His eyes fluttered uneasily but unable to open, at most making his eyebrows come together to form a frown.  He’d been in and out of it a couple of times, but it all felt like a fever dream to him.

He could swear he had heard his classmates, _his dead classmates_ , talk to him as if they were in the room with him. But he knew that it was impossible. He wished nothing more than to just transition past this phase and come to the next, no longer to be haunted by the long gone past.

This time as he came to, his body didn’t hurt nearly as much. He expected to drift away soon, but for some reason his presence stayed and he felt increasingly aware of his surroundings.

There was a gust of wind passing by his cheek from a nearby fan, and he could hear the steady beeps from the machines around him. There was something pressing over his finger; a heart rate monitor of some kind probably. Strangely this was familiar to his body, but not to himself as far as he knew...

Having not been this stable for a long time, he challenges himself by trying to open his eyes for once. They have only fluttered before, barely separating themselves as he came to consciousness. That had not been a problem, but trying to open them presented itself to be a completely different challenge. His thick bottom lashes had gotten tangled with his upper lashes, and it took willpower to break free and finally open his eyes to see.

His sight was faded and fuzzy, at first just noticing the darkened room. It took time to focus, especially as he was in such a dimly lit room.

“Finally, you’re actually awake!” The sharp sound of someone talking loudly to him cuts his ears, and it made him wince as he reaches up to rub at his eyes wearily. His movements was sluggish and ill coordinated, but he managed to do that as the voice had jostled him awake. If anything else, he knew exactly who to blame for shouting so excitedly with no regard for the recipient.

“Kokichi, there is no need to scream so loud…” He groans, but his voice cracks and he realizes how dry his throat is. Before he’s on the verge of coughing, he feels his friend gently lift his head by holding his hand behind the nape of his neck. A lukewarm glass of water pressed against his lower lip, and from this lifted position he could carefully sip from the glass without spilling it everywhere.

Normally, he’d object to this, but he was so tired that he wasn’t certain he could even keep his head steady enough to drink the water on his own in this state.

The water was in room temperature and not exactly in good taste, but his dry throat felt much more soothed after drinking the water that Kokichi carefully poured into his mouth.

It was first after drinking that he felt his mind clear up more, even surprising himself in what a poor state he had been prior to this. Like a piece of machinery that got serviced with new oil after being cranked around for a long time in a terrible state.

The newfound clarity made him think much clearer, even if he still had ways to go. Kokichi put his head back into the newly fluffed pillows, and it felt like clouds surrounding his hurting head. His friend turned his back to him to most likely put the glass on a table by the side of the bed, and Shuichi ended up looking quietly at him. The feeling that he had forgotten something important bothered him, and his eyebrows furrowed as he tried to recollect his thoughts that were garbled around. It felt as if it had gotten tumbled in a washing machine, with all his thoughts knit into each other in one big mess.

“Wait… Kokichi..?” He felt his own voice waver, and he felt his eyes widen in shock as he tried to sit up. He finally remembered the video. The terrible video that Kokichi and Kaito had collaborated on.

The one with certainty had smashed his friends to pieces, ultimately being the death of him.

Slowly the images of the game crept up onto him, making his chest hurt until it felt numb. It felt impossible, surreal to see him so casually in front of him.

“Whazzup?” Kokichi turned around, his hands carefree behind his head. They ended up quietly staring at each other as Shuichi just tried to take it all in, and Kokichi mirrored his expression with a bottomless patience.

“You… _Kokichi, you are dead_.” Shuichi felt dread taking over him as he spoke, his face paling even further as he reaches up to grasp at his chest... He didn’t know what to do with the pressure, but he knew that it’s slowly breaking him apart as he braced himself to face the truth.

“Well, do I look dead to you?” Kokichi only smiles, his purple eyes looking mischievous as he moves over to sit on the bed next to him. He reaches out and places one hand over Shuichi’s, who looks utterly confused by this whole situation.

Kokichi’s hand is warm. Or maybe he’s cold himself. It’s hard to say. But there is definitively life in him. The way his hand moves to hold his in a steady grasp...

There is a faint pulse of life, and an occasional squeeze that reminds him that Kokichi is indeed there, in the flesh, next to him.

“You did it, Master Detective, you tricked them. And you should have seen their faces! Totally made up for that time for when you solved my unsolvable case. Maan… I looked forward to beating the Dangan Ronpa shits with it.” Kokichi inspected his nails on his free hand that wasn’t clasped over Shuichi’s, and he flinched as he remembered how he had completely fucked up that case by revealing the truth.

After all, if he had just backed off from the truth a little sooner, Monokuma might have been none the wiser… Then the game would have settled sooner than it did.

“Well, not like it matters!” Kokichi suddenly turned around to face him, and his eyes lit up in excitement as he suddenly grasps Shuichi's hand with both his own and squeezed down on it. “It was _so much fun_ being on this side and see them panic as you went after them! Twitter pretty much blew up when you refused to accept hope and despair! And when you retroactively solved Kaede's case and instead put Tsumugi, the _mastermind_ as the murderer instead!? That was **_genius_** !”

Kokichi smiled, but his enormous smile faded to something smaller, more genuine expression as he squeezes Shuichi's hand again. “And I mean this. You did real good out there Shuichi. You know… It’s okay to cry. You went through hell, and back. We’re back in the real world now, just that our memories are probably fucked up forever. But hey! Everyone from that game is fine, really. No lies for you this time, Shuichi.”

“... Everyone.. Is fine..?” It stung in Shuichi's heart again, not necessarily from sadness, but from raw, emotional pain. He reached with his free hand that still had the heart monitor attached to it to his chest, and he grasped at it as he felt a lump grow at his throat.

“Kaede is…” His voice wavered, not sure how he could take the impact of either answer.

“Kaede is fine.” Kokichi’s reply was direct, and Shuichi fumbled with his thoughts as his eyes blurred over. He felt the first tears cross his cheeks down to his chin just seconds after as he cried from what must be relief. It almost was numbing to feel a relief this big after hearing that his friend was, after all, fine.

“A-and Ran-taro..?” Still fumbling after the truth, he forced himself to face it. His chest was tangling itself into a tight knot, rendering him unable breathe as he tried to find the catch since all this was too good to be true.

“Yepp, fine too. Along with Ryoma, Kirumi, Angie, Tenko, Korekiyo, Miu, Gonta, Kaito, Keeboy and me!” For each reply, Kokichi squeezed Shuichis hand and kept holding it tightly, as if he reminded Shuichi that he was fine and still there for him. “So. _It’s okay to cry_.”

Shuichi was about to object, but he didn’t know how to. But before he could voice his ideas, the knot in his chest exploded and sent him gasping for air. It hurt so much, as if someone took his heart and turned it inside out. It was so hard to stay strong after all these trials, and this newfound feeling of safety and comfort made the walls around him come crashing down.

And with the walls crashing down, his emotions catched up and cascaded onto him. His free hand first grasped after the cap he should have on his head, but since it was gone he ended up covering his face with his hand as if he could shelter his cries. He was shaken to his core as his emotions flooded out and he reached down to clutch his chest where it _hurt._

He felt as if it’d break and he’d be not able to hold it together, but suddenly he feels a warmth surrounding him. Kokichi had reached out to hug him, holding him together as he crumbled and felt all sense of composure disperse. As comforting as the warmth of his alive friend was, it utterly wrecked him with emotions.

If his heart had been turned inside out before, it was even more twisted with hurt as his sobbing was getting gross with loud sobs bubbling out of his throat. Pained expression twisted his face around as tears streamed down his cheeks unhinged. His face met the support of Kokichi’s shoulder, and he lost himself as he cried loudly into the white fabric, crying as he never had done before.

Slowly the numbness in his chest flared out, and after what felt like an eternity his chest felt… Much more calmer. His heart was no longer twisted and hurting like before, but instead calm and beating slowly.  

His head pounded with hurt, but there was also a comforting feeling as he clung to his friend and just _breathed._ Kokichi had somewhere in this reached up and started stroking Shuichi’s hair, and the gentle massage of his scalp calmed him down even further.

“A-ah… I’m, sorry.” His voice was strained, and he felt his face flush as he slowly detached himself from Kokichi’s support. It was first now he realized how uncomfortable the other must have been, since he had to lean over to reach from where he had been sitting. His shoulder was also all wet and disgusting from how much Shuichi had cried, and he felt bad for having bothered him so.

“Aw, don’t worry about it my Shuichi! You just owe me a date, no big deal.” Kokichi grins as he lets Shuichi go and sits up more straight, not even reacting to the mess as he makes his proposal casually. Shuichi in turn blushed bright red as that came completely out of left field, not certain how to respond to the supreme leaders deal. Not that his face was already flushed from his recent sobbing.

“I-- when, did I agree to that?” He sniffed as his nose was thick with snot, but he was still able to voice his protest. This, even though he felt himself grow more red all across his cheeks to his ears, since he sounded ridiculously pathetic since his throat was sore again from all his wailing.

“Nishishishi, I was just kidding!” Kokichi smirks, his finger tangent with the corner of his lips in his trademark expression while he looks at Shuichi analytically. In any other position he might have inquired more into this, but his head was pounding after crying for… Too long, probably. He fell silent as he rubbed the last tears from his eyes and tried to get his bearings back.

“Or maybe not. First of all, you have to get better again Shuichi!” As Shuichi's reply lacked, Kokichi decided to tease him instead. The playful air after all this emotional outburst felt refreshing, and Shuichi found himself smiling as he looked at his previous classmate.

“Well, I won’t say no. But… Yeah, getting better first sounds like a good plan.” He looks to the side so his blush won’t be too apparent, hopefully, and looked at the monitor that monitored his heartbeat. Of course it sped up, speaking of such embarrassing things in front of his friend.

But he felt to tired to really fuss about what he said, and, he didn't mind getting to know Kokichi more if he got the opportunity to do so. He had so many questions that before had just been a dream to get any answers of, so it felt like it made perfect sense for him.

Kokichi was however stunned silent, and it took him a moment to get back on track. “Well then! I betcha that you’re reaaaaal tired after being such a crybaby. And, I bet the whole crew will be swamping you tomorrow! I promised to text everyone once you woke up sooooo….” He smiles as he brings up his phone, and he keeps talking as he writes something there. “You probably want to get a few hours of rest. I know, you’re probably dead tired of it but that’s the doctor's orders!” He don’t look up, and Shuichi sighs as he leans back against the bed again. He almost had forgotten how tired he was, and he doubted he'd be able to get up anytime soon like this.

“Is… That a lie or did the doctor actually order that.” Shuichi bites at his lip as he doubts Kokichi’s words, and he feels anxious of the thought to be left alone for the rest of the night. But if the rest of the group would be there tomorrow… Then he could do it.

However, he was surprised to suddenly feel Kokichi squirm down to lie on his side with his back against him, using his outstretched arm as a pillow.

“Who knows! I’m tired though, I haven't slept for days...” Kokichi sighs tiredly, and Shuichi looks at the back of his friends head in surprise. This time he didn’t feel like it was a lie, especially with how Kokichi resigned himself to the bed as if he truly was exhausted and couldn't keep up an energetic front for once.

“A-ah, wait..” Shuichi pulled at the covers, and after a bit of a hassle he managed to wrestle it out from under Kokichi and instead put it over them both. If he hadn’t been so exhausted, both mentally and physically, he’d maybe feel too embarrassed with sharing a bed with someone else. But he was too tired to question it, and the others presence quelled his anxiety.

In his whole life, as far as he knew, he had always lived alone. Sharing a bed was rather intimate and way off his comfort zone, but right now he didn’t want to be alone. Maybe it was this weird, fuzzy feeling after crying his heart out that made him relaxed enough to allow this intrusion into his personal space, or that he felt so much at peace with Kokichi that he didn't mind not being alone like he had always been. Or at least, for what he remembers as forever.

He could feel Kokichi’s breathing steady itself, and it didn’t take long before sleep took over himself as well. But this time it was not delirious or feverish; this time it felt peaceful, with Kokichi next to his side.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this fic! It was made pretty late at night, and is in an AU where the killing game happened separate to their world. I just want them all to be happy damn it, and this is my way of refuting the ending of DRV3.
> 
>  
> 
> While this chapter itself works as a standalone, I’ll let the chapters stay open. If people wants to hear more of this I’ll most likely make a few more chapters and explore this space in the wake of the killing games! It’ll be very SaiOma centric, but with the appearance of the whole class.
> 
>  
> 
> Bye-onara! Bear well!
> 
>  
> 
> Edit: Fixed some grammatical errors that went by me yesterday... It should be better now! Thank you so much for all the support!
> 
> Edit2: OH GOSH. This got so much attention that i got help from my friends to really correct the grammar. I hope it reads better now, thank you for the crazy amount of support!


	2. Life in a new Universe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh. I never expected to get such a reception for my fanfic! First of all I want to thank you so much for commenting and leaving kudos for this story- It have meant so much for me. Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement!
> 
> This bit took a bit longer to produce than i had thought. I wanted to go back and better the first part before continuing, and I got so much good help from my friends with this. Thank you for your help..!
> 
> I also want to give a very special shoutout to the friends I made through the DR discords, you know who you are. You have helped me so much and kept supporting me, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are some amazing people, for real.
> 
> ***
> 
> Even if so much time passed since the last chapter, I hope this is still in your interest. And since this story will continue I’ll have to update the summary somehow. How exciting!

When Shuichi woke up after a long night rest, it felt too easy to pretend that the last few weeks had just been a long, lucid nightmare...

He could feel the weight of Kokichi’s head gone from his arm. This, along with the now missing warmth that had previously radiated off from him under their shared covers, told him that Kokichi was no longer there next to him. He was now alone tucked into the bed, just like he always was.

For a moment he wondered if the killing game really had taken place. He entertained the thought of Danganronpa just being a long distant dream, which was a rather bittersweet feeling for him. 

While it would be nice to be rid of the burdens of Danganronpa. This would however also mean that all the friends he had made and the hardships they had endured together would have been for naught... But, being in a world where these games existed and was accepted frightened him. A world like that could not possibly be good, and he felt betrayed by it.

Shuichi kept his eyes closed, as if to allow himself a prolonged time to think about this.

He wanted to avoid the truth for just a moment longer. Maybe he’d wake up at his grandpa's place, tell him about this long morbid dream while drinking his morning coffee together…. 

At home he would have a lot of dreams. His grandpa said it was for him reading novels late into the night and then going to bed with a too active mind, making him conjure all sort of scenarios related to his litterature when asleep. While his grandpa's advice to wind down before bed was good natured, he still found these dreams too fascinating to change his habits.

Admittedly, at times when he had woken up from a vivid dream and found it difficult to differentiate fantasy from reality. He could lie in bed a long time after waking up with his eyes closed, just like he did now, and go through the scenarios piece by piece. Slowly piecing together what was a dream, and what was reality. 

While resting, he could hear birds chirping clearly to his right... Most likely from an opened window near his bed. He could as well hear the wind play with the trees and making his surroundings feel serene, completely lacking the despair from the killing games he had been forced to participate in.  

This was the way he was used to waking up in the past, to a moment of serenity and quiet... While he kept his eyes closed, the lie of a normal life was still alive. 

But his head was pounding and his eyes were still puffy from…  _ yesterday.  _ He felt very weakened and weary, and his body held a dull ache as if he had lied there for a very long time... These were one of the clues he couldn’t disregard as coincidences, given the situation.

Around him was a static buzzing from machines. Punctuated by a dull beeping signal that most likely monitored his heartbeat, given it’s steady pace. The clip on his finger was most likely what sent the input to the machine, and on his other arm he could sense an IV drip attached.

He can’t recall being in the hospital much growing up, yet this sent him an enormous wave of deja vu. While the thought of it all being a dream was still alluring, it was impossible to see that as his truth now... 

It was undeniable that he was in a hospital, most likely in the same room as he had woken up in the night prior.

He opened his eyes at last, and it took a moment for his sight to clear up and adjust to the pristine white room around him. 

Just as he had suspected, there were machines littered all around him. Surprisingly, he could even name a few of them. They were all in pristine condition, which meant that this wasn’t just about any hospital room he was lying in. 

As far as he knew, he wouldn’t be able to afford such a room. So he must be here for some reason… He just hoped he could figure out what the reason was soon enough.

From his right he could see the window, and just as he had suspected the window was open.

Light shone in through the window with its curtains fluttering slightly in the breeze, and the same wind ruffled through some trees out of his sight in a peaceful manner...

He found himself staring out the window as the feeling of waiting loomed over him. It took him a moment to realize he had waited for the monokuma to appear in some monitor near him, and it was a little alarming how dependant he had gotten of it from his time in his game. Maki was right, it, was probably a bad idea to ever having gotten accustomed to it.

He couldn’t lie there forever, and spurred by his previous realization he tried to sit up. Just shifting his weight felt like a strain to his body, and his muscles felt numb and difficult to control. But with the help of his arms and a bit of willpower, he managed to sit up straight and look around more properly at the room.

He noticed nothing new about the room from this position, but he did notice a black string tied to his wrist. It had a thin sheet of paper rolled around it and most likely a note… 

It took some fumbling from his still uncoordinated fingers to free the paper, but once he did he noticed that it was indeed a note addressed to him.

 

_ Good morning sleepyhead! _

_ You snored so loud and drooled all over me, so i decided to go home and change my clothes!  _

_ Just call for the doctor and be prepared to meet  everyone when visitors’ time opens up at 9am. Have fun! _

_\- Your Kokichi Oma_

 

At the first sentence he felt a blush creep over his cheeks, embarrassed and ashamed that he had disturbed Kokichi’s sleep like that. He reached up to dry his mouth from his apparent drooling, but was surprised to find it completely dry and clean. If it was Kokichi’s note, maybe that part was just a lie...

It at least felt like it could be, just to be given a reason as of why he was gone when he woke up.

Well... Calling the nurse was at least a good first step.

* * *

 

***

 

He had called for the doctor on a button behind his headrest of his bed. He didn’t know how he was so certain that this was something he should do, but there was no other way to call for them other than that.

The nurse had rushed in and before he knew it they were checking his vitals on some screen next to his bed. They were so focused on this  job that he felt awkward asking them about anything, and they constantly reassured him that he was safe whenever he tried to open up any form of communication.

If he had woken up to this he would probably been much more confused and upset. But the encounter with Kokichi had calmed his anxiety enough that he didn’t mind the silence as they tested his blood pressure, took a blood sample and went through even more charts on his screen...

It all seemed positive so he didn’t feel like he needed to ask what was happening just yet. They were doctors on duty, and he decided to trust that they knew what they were doing. It was however a little bit frustrating to be around people with such sealed lips...

They asked to monitor his heart with a stethoscope, and it was embarrassing to unbutton  the hospital gown and show his chest and back, but he voiced no complaints as they handled it professionally. He didn’t appreciate the cool metal against his back and his chest, but then he noticed something when they checked him at his front.

There was a pale scar, in the middle of his chest. It was barely visible, and he might have missed it himself if not for the nurse putting the plate on his chest and the nerves under his scar not picking up the sensation as well as the rest of his skin. Had he not felt that, he doubted he would be able to even see the scar on his own anytime soon.

He bit his tongue as it felt like a bad moment to ask what this was about when the nurse was clearly trying to avoid any sort of conversation... But he would remember to look this up and ask at the next opportunity, when the nurse caring for him wasn’t so visibly distressed.

But it was certainly strange. He knew his own memories like the back of his hand, yet  none of it could be trusted. It was a paradox to have such clear memories but none to explain the scar ingrained in his body, which he definitely wouldn’t have forgotten about. 

His heart sank into his stomach as anxiety instead swelled up inside him, rooting itself inside his chest.

The nurse left him in silence and he sat there contemplating. He at least knew that Oma was okay, and that was something positive. So instead of giving in to the anxiety he decided to map out what he  _ did _ know.

He was alive. Oma was alive. And Oma had specified that  _ everyone _ would be there when the visiting hours began. That must have included the list of names he said yesterday, from a memory less blurred than the rest, but, still difficult to grasp because it felt so unthinkable for him..

He had seen them  _ die _ . He had inspected their bodies, completely lifeless and void of a soul. 

He had argued about who was the killer, ultimately sending them to their  _ death _ . 

All of this felt real... But this seemed to be contradicted in this world. He had seen at least one ghost alive already, and that was enough to make his head spin. 

Before he could really dig down into his thoughts he suddenly heard a whole crowd outside of his room. The sounds came suddenly as if they just entered through a doorway further down the hall, and several recognizable voices echoed through the hallway.

Some footsteps rushed up to his door, and before he knew it his door flew open with such force that he was surprised it didn’t fall off its hinges. It did however make him yelp out in surprise, and he was glad that the nurses had taken off the IV drips and heart monitor when he got checked before, so that he could move more freely.

“Nyahahaha!~~ The Ultimate Detective is awake!” Before he could react, a flash of yellow and a lady with no sense of personal space was upon him and squeezed him in a warm hug. He was given no time to take in her presence before he was hugged from the other side of his bed by a bigger man, a hug encapsulated both him and Angie.

It was too overwhelming for it to sink in.

“Gonta is happy that Shuichi is back!” The bigger man announced and he could feel drops of tears hit his chest of his still open gown. Before embarrassment could hit him in the face like a train, he felt someone ruffle his hair and bring this attention up. In front of him, a familiar face entered his view.

“Good to have you back on the team Shuichi! It’s not easy being a hero when the sidekick is gone for so long, you know?” Kaito grinned brightly at him and straightened his back again, once he deemed Shuichi's hair messy enough to pay for his crimes. 

“Guys, maybe give Shuichi some space to breathe too. He must be much more overwhelmed than we are, right?” From the door he heard a familiar voice, and as soon as the grip on him was released enough that he could move his head freely, he looked towards the source of that voice.

In the doorframe stood Kaede, an apologetic smile gracing her lips. She had always been so confident, but now she was more… careful, in her manners. But she was brimming to the edge with joy and he could see tears threatening to spill over her lashes as they locked eyes. 

Shuichi wasn’t far behind. His chest hurt, and he reached up to grasp at it as he slowly let his eyes travel to take in the scene of the now cramped room, filled to the brim with all his friends, actually alive and somehow well.

Next to Kaede stood Rantaro, smiling gently. Gonta and Angie were on either side of his bed. Not far away from there stood Maki and Himiko... They both seemed like they wanted to be as close as possible to him, but, they haven’t been as forward as Gonta and Angie had been. Instead they had given their fellow survivor some space to breathe. 

Kaito was at the end of his bed, moving there to not crowd the bed too much after Kaede reminded them to not overwhelm Shuichi the moment he woke up. He was surprised to see Tenko right next to Kaito, but less surprised as she was of course on the side where Himiko was...

In the back stood Kirumi, her face allowing a rare smile as she looked at the detective, when his eyes traveled there. Next to her stood Ryoma as calmly as ever, apparently not phased that he stood next to the person who had ended his life. It made him glad that the general aura in this whole room seemed so positive and serene, despite what had happened between them...

He was also surprised to see K1-B0, or Kiibo, next to them in the back. He had a sheepish smile as Shuichi must have looked rather stunned to see him there in the flesh-- or, in person would probably be less robophobic to say. 

Miu was next to Kiibo, only raising an eyebrow as Shuichi had looked at Kiibo for so long, but she seemed to for once stay quiet and not pepper him with dirty throwbacks for staring at Kiibo. Even she seemed to show hints of mercy for his newly awakened state.

At last his eyes locked with Kokichi who stayed back at the window, giving him a slight knowing smirk as he casually scratches his finger under his eye. Most likely hinting that he was still puffy from crying last night, and having a good internal laugh over it. But he said nothing out loud, as if to keep it as their secret. Just enough of a reminder to make him feel embarrassed about it, probably.

“It is good to see that you are alright Shuichi. Pardon our intrusion, we have waited for you to wake up for a long time... So we all wanted to see you as soon as possible.” It was Kirumi speaking, and her voice was just as he remembered it. He quickly reached up to dry his eyes before he could start crying in front of them all, and he smiled, more than happy to accept this as his truth. 

It was hard to grasp that they all were there, and it filled his chest with a gentle warmth. Maybe this wasn’t too bad, after all...

“Yeah-- w-wait. For how long have I been out?” He braces himself, more so as Kirumi stops in her tracks as if she is reluctant to say it. But she is as smooth as ever and answer his question calmly, barely missing a beat. He would probably not have noticed her hesitation unless he had been so observant of her in just that moment.

“You have just been out for a month. We were... extracted, rather quickly after it was over for us. You were a bit worse to wear, so they had to let you sleep a little longer before they could bring you back.” She choose her words carefully, but a small smile graced her worried lips. 

Shuichi felt his jaw clench, and he looked down at the sheets as he rubbed his chin in thought. That was certainly words picked with care, and he felt a heavy weight behind each one of them.

“Extracted…. And, asleep…? For a month..? Bringing someone back, from, a coma? Have we all been induced into a comatose state..? But..” His mind reeled as he tried to connect the dots. There was so much that made too little sense, and he had to take a step back to connect the lines for the bigger picture.

But before he could get too deep into thought he felt a gentle hand pushing at his shoulder to get his attention. It was Kaede, and she smiled at him gently as she tried to get back in contact with him before he got too lost in thought. Angie had stepped aside and closer to the wall, to give her friend access to Shuichi's side.

“I promise Shuichi, we will give you all the details.. So please don’t worry all too much, okay?” She smiled at him, for once having it reach all the way to her eyes. 

She was seemingly amused by his constant string of questions, but there was still tears building up above her lashes. She reached up to dry them away, laughing softly as her optimistic confidence makes a temporary return. “You’ve got to focus on getting better first, okay?”

He smiled at her and nodded, feeling okay with starting at that end. His mind was reeling already after so many impressions in such short time, but it felt okay to pause his investigation here, since it was proven that everyone was okay...

Or at least almost everyone; Tsumugi was nowhere in sight, and neither was Korekiyo. But he suspected that they were okay, wherever they were now… That was at least what felt logical, as 14 out of 16 had somehow made it out intact.

“Stop making that long face, Shuichi!” Kaito’s laugh suddenly burst out through the room, and he gave Shuichi’s leg a few claps to drag his attention at the end of the bed again. 

“You’ll be busy getting well again! You gotta train even more now to get back in shape, and Maki will help you!” He grinned as he reached to pull Maki into an one armed hug. She puffed up her cheeks, looking utterly embarrassed by his sudden embrace.

It was clear as day to see that there is something between them both, and Shuichi couldn’t help but smile softly at how sweet they seemed to be together. However, it seems that his noticing was too much for Maki to handle, and she shoots him a piercing glare with no sign of holding herself back.

“...Do you want to die?” The question came so directly and due her discomfort, it came far too sharp. 

Along with her glare, it felt like the whole temperature in the room sank- Everyone came to a sudden halt as they looked between Maki and Shuichi, as the former glared daggers into the latter. 

Even Shuichi felt a cold sweat run past his cheek as he had forgotten how intense her stare could be. At last, he was saved by a soft chuckle coming from Kaito, breaking the silence again.

Before they knew it, the trio fell into an easy laughter. It was like a stone was lifted from Shuichi's chest as they acted like their old selves again, before tragedy hit them.

He couldn’t help himself from smiling as he recalled the moments when Maki had tried to joke with him in the beginning of their friendship. It had scared him as much as everybody else now probably had gotten by the sudden threat. 

Even Maki let go of a small smile, slowly loosening up from her otherwise stoic expression.

“Well, I will come over when you have physical training and make sure you don’t slack.” She smiles, the expression coming to her easier than it did during that time at that horrible place. A lot must have happened in the month he had been gone... And despite the warning Shuichi got, he couldn’t help but look forward to train with Maki again.

“Ahaha, yeah… Thank you, Maki.” He smiled, and he felt energy in the rooms shift back to something calm and happy again, as they all seemed to have recovered from the situation before.

“A-and i can come too! I’ll collect all my MP and healing spells for you Shuichi!” Himiko finally chimed in after looking like she had wanted to say something for a long time. It warmed his heart, and it felt like everyone in the room was back in high spirits.

“Well, it’s good to see you up again kiddo. I gotta go, but just give us a call whenever. Unless you’re against it, I assume we’ll still come dropping by whenever we can.” It was Ryoma, speaking up with his deep voice as he gave Shuichi a thumbs up, before he hauled over to the door and left. 

Shuichi could see him fumbling in his pocket for a cigarette on his way out, and it was easy to assume that he probably needed a smoke since it wasn’t allowed inside a hospital. If anything, he appreciated that Ryoma could wait with the smoke, but he did feel a little sad that he didn’t get time to talk more to him before he had to go.

“Oh! Yeah, Himiko. We have to run too! Sorry Shuichi. We’ll make up for it next time we visit. A-and you better get better soon and not make us worry, though, that would be typical of a degenerate male!” Tenko shifted suddenly, bringing up a hand in front of her face in her typical defensive pose. There was a hint of embarrassment in her voice, probably since she wasn’t used to showing that she cared for any man. But at least she didn’t sound venomous when she uttered ‘degenerate male’, so maybe she had loosened up around this circle of friends…

“Yeah..! We’ll come visit soon, okay? So save your MP too, we need to regen your HP!” Himiko smiled as she lit up, her expressions painted over her face as she was eager to offer her help. Shuichi smiled and nodded, uttering a small “Thank you..” as the two girls left to leave.

“Ahahaha! You won’t have a moment alone Shuichi, we all were very worried and missed you alot! Atua too is very pleased to have you back!” Angie somehow snuck in between Kaede and the bed, and she snuck in a small kiss on his cheek before she bounced after the two other girls, cheerily asking for them to wait for her. 

Her voice was last to echo through the corridor and to the door out there, so it seemed like the trio was getting along well… 

But the kiss on his cheek,  _ in front of everyone _ , embarrassed him and he sighed quietly as he tried to ignore the blush that once again painted his cheeks. While he appreciated being looked after, he still hoped to get a little peace to recharge his batteries...

“I must apologize that we all have to leave so suddenly, Shuichi. I really want to stay, but most of us have classes to attend to this early. But we will come back whenever we can! In fact, we made a schedule so that you would never have to be alone and I assume that we will all keep following it so you don’t have to stay alone during your recovery.” This time it was Kiibo who interjected, and it looked like he was about to head out through the door as well.

“Wait..! Kiibo, ah, uhm..” Shuichi  _ had  _ to intercept and ask a question, but his fear of phrasing it wrong stopped him mid-sentence. However, it made Kiibo stop in his tracks and look at him. After a few awkward seconds, the robot smiled at him and proudly placed his hands on his waist in a confident pose.

“Aha! I know what you want to ask Shuichi! I was a robot inside the killing game, so how come I am in here with you?” He brightly asked the question Shuichi so much wanted an answer to, and he could do nothing more than nod as he wanted him to elaborate on that.

“Well, Iruma helped me build this body--” He started as he raised a finger to explain, but was stopped by Miu herself, stepping forward with a loud burst of laughter.

“Ahahaha! That was a piece of cake to rebuild Kiibo! Of course, with some modifications since his last design was DEAD ASS BORING.” She laughed again as she confidently continued, Kiibo looking uncertain whenever that was an insult or a compliment.

“Of course I with my golden brain could figure out how to make the best robotic body ever! And then we just loaded over Kiibos mind to this supercomputer. Aren’t I great? Just confess it Shuichi, I want to hear it!” She laughed and tapped Kiibos head, and he looks uncertain whenever that was to be taken as a compliment or not. 

Before Shuichi could say anything, Kirumi stepped forward and grabbed both of their arms gently, which seemed to be the only way to surprise Miu to silence.

“Ah, let’s not bother Shuichi all too much. Will you both be so kind as to lead everyone to their classes? Rantaro and I will stay here for the first shift, as it is our shift now.” She smiled and closed her eyes, trusting them to do their best. Kiibo looked overjoyed to get a task he felt comfortable with, and Miu gave an insecure glance at the maid, as she wasn’t too sure how to handle this.

“Sorry Shuichi..” Kaede spoke again at last, trying to hide the small pout that painted her expression since Angie snuck in front of her to steal a kiss from Shuichi's cheek. She adjusted the straps  on her backpack in a nervous habit and gave a sad smile, even though it was visible how much she tried to keep up a brave facade. 

… Something must have happened to her since he last had seen her, but before Shuichi could reach out to her she had already braced herself with a brave smile and masked her emotions, making it hard for him to break through it.

“I’ll come back later this afternoon, so, please rest and get better soon! Ah, right. Um.” She kept fiddling with her backpack before she took it off, and she reached into it to bring out a book that she had brought with her. She put it in Shuichi's lap, and before he could have a chance to look at it she spoke quickly before he could make any objections.

“You said you liked books so… I brought this with me. I hope it’s okay! It, felt like something you’d enjoy but.. I’m very bad at reading books. I took help of the store cleric, but I hope you’ll like it..!” She laughed a little embarrassedly, and she reached for her backpack again to take out another item. 

This time she put a cap on top of Shuichi’s head, placing it snugly over his hair before he had a moment to object. It felt strange as she was the one to ask him to remove the hat, and yet she was the one to return it to him here.

“That one is from Tsumugi. She didn’t want to come but, she made this for you and hoped you’d get well real soon! I know it might be confusing right now but... Trust me, it’ll be okay!” She smiled, and at last she put her backpack on her back again and adjusted the straps again. Apparently a nervous habit of hers, as the leather looks worn out where she touched it...

“Thank you, Kaede. Make sure you thank Tsumugi, too.” He smiled, even if it felt… off, to say that to someone like her. But he could not rule out that Tsumugi was as much of a victim as they were, and he would rather keep his options open. 

Kaede smiled and nodded, and turned around to leave. On her way out Rantaro touched her arm and gave her a long look, and she just gave a nod before she hurried down the corridor and out of sight. Probably trying to catch up with the rest of her friends that seemed to wait outside of his room.

“Well, Gonta have to leave too. Very happy to have Shuichi back again!” Gonta broke the odd silence that followed after Kaede’s departure, and it partially felt like he might not be reading the situation too well as he smiled happily, unbothered by the previous silence.

“Yep! So, you better rest up Shuichi!” This time Kaito broke the silence and gave him a thumbs up, and in unison he left with Maki, Gonta, Miu and Kiibo. Kiibo of course led the group, telling them that they had exactly two minutes to get to their class and already making a route for them to take there. 

Left in the room was Rantaro, Kirumi, and Oma, and it didn’t take long until Kirumi sighed and turned to the short boy that had observed everything from the back.

“You have classes too, Oma.” She looked at him with a motherly, stern expression. Kokichi grinned widely as he rested his hands behind his head, unfazed by her motherly scorn.

“Well, those classes are boring! If they wanted me to go to them, they should have made them interesting!” He shifted quickly to instead ball his fists in front of him, his expressions as lively as usual. 

Kirumi sighed, not knowing what else to tell him and looked completely exasperated by his antics. It seemed like Kirumi have had to deal with Oma for a while now, which would add up to what was told about him being comatose for at least a month, with the rest being able to interact with each other...

“H-hey now. If you have classes you should go there. I don’t… Think I’ll leave here anytime soon.” Shuichi injected, worried where this would lead if he stayed silent. Kirumi gave him a thankful expression, while Oma stared at him silently before his expression turned devious.

“Oh, so Shuichi wants me to leave?” He smirks, and despite it being obvious that there was some hidden objective behind what he said, it still made Shuichi’s heart sink. He quickly tried to correct that statement, not liking the tone of what he said in the least.

“N-no! Of course I don’t want you to leave, but… I don’t want to cause you trouble either.” He took a deep breath to stay firm, and despite his anxiety working itself up, he refused to look away from Oma to get his message across. 

The other stayed silent for a while, but at last laughed his trademark laugh and stepped forward to tap the new cap down over his eyes, rendering Shuichi blind to his next expression.

“Nishishi! Well then, if my dear Saihara tells me to leave I can’t refuse. I’ll see you later!” Still laughing he bounced away and out of the room, judging by his voice drifting away like the rest of the crowd had done before him.

Saihara frowned and adjusted his cap, rather overwhelmed by this whole ideal. After all, he was rather taken aback to just see his friends be brought back to life. It warmed his heart, but there was so much to take in...

“Ahhh, I can never really seem to understand that guy.” Rantaro broke the silence after a while, and he brought a chair to sit next to Shuichi’s bed. 

Kirumi smiled as she looked through her bag and she brought up an apple and a knife to peel said apple, looking as if she enjoyed the silence and this simple task after all this ruckus.

“Yeah.. So, uh… If you don’t mind me asking… Just, what is going on?” Shuichi adjusted his cap again, but ended up taking it off and placing it in his lap as he looked at Rantaro. He was a bit unused to see him, since he along with Kaede had been the first to… Leave. 

“Ahaha, I figured you’d jump to the questions immediately...” Rantaro laughed uneasily and reached to scratch his head. He looked at Kirumi for help, but since she kept silent and out of the way, he sighed and leaned back in the chair with a mysterious yet aloof expression.

“Alright, however, I’m not the best at explaining, and I don’t want to go too deep into this... You know how much they want the despair and hope thing going?” Rantaro looked at him, his smile gone from his face and replaced with a look of discomfort. Shuichi nodded, hoping that he’d get at least something more to work with.

“They tried to simulate it, but… It appears it wasn’t possible to create real despair or hope through computer coding, no matter who did it. So, they decided to plug real people into the game, erase their damn memories and have the sick game going. Fun, right?” The smile grew back to Rantaro’s face with such sarcastic force, to the point that it sent a chill down Shuichi’s back. Dumbfounded, he just nodded, as… this was a lot for him to process.

“And those lucky people is us. So welcome to the celebrityship of being a Danganronpa, Shuichi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, I hope this chapter met all of your standards! It was fun to write most of the characters and touch the tip of the iceberg of this story. Sorry to leave you hanging like this, but feel free to comment with any theories you get of this universe! It’ll be really fun to see what everyone thinks is going on.
> 
> Also very subtle hints to some of this fics ships in this story. I don’t know if I should tag the ships or not, so I’ll leave it as a bit of a mystery for now...
> 
> Thank you for reading, see(saw) ya in the next chapter of the story!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this fic! It was made pretty late at night, and is in an AU where the killing game happened separate to their world. I just want them all to be happy damn it, and this is my way of refuting the ending of DRV3.
> 
>  
> 
> While this chapter itself works as a standalone, I’ll let the chapters stay open. If people wants to hear more of this I’ll most likely make a few more chapters and explore this space in the wake of the killing games! It’ll be very SaiOma centric, but with the appearance of the whole class.
> 
>  
> 
> Bye-onara! Bear well!
> 
> Edit: Fixed some grammatical errors that went by me yesterday... It should be better now! Thank you so much for all the support!


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